The national consumer group FamiliesUSA released a report today tying the sharp increase in unemployment numbers in North Carolina to the increase in the numbers of uninsured working-age adults in our state. NC is one of the top five states in the country in the percentage of working age adults who have lost coverage according to the report. This isn’t a surprise to us at the NC Justice Center. In our travels around the state over the last few months we’ve talked to many people at community meetings from Hendersonville to Greenville who have lost their jobs and their health coverage. In addition, we’ve seen the huge increases in health insurance costs mean that many small businesses, who are already struggling and laying off workers, can no longer afford to cover their owners or employees.